KY - Bill Sparkman, census worker, found dead in Clay County cemetery

[lizzybeth]

Oh, thanks for explaining. I was thinking that over time, the weight of his body dragged him down, letting his feet touch the ground, and I couldn't see what the significance of that was, other than probably an original hanging point that wasn't very high up.

That's something I hadn't thought of. Of course his weight could have lowered him over time. So, you're right, what is the significance of his toes touching the ground?

 

[oh_gal]

That's something I hadn't thought of. Of course his weight could have lowered him over time. So, you're right, what is the significance of his toes touching the ground?

No, I think your explanation is the right one. As I said, I was just showing my ignorance with regard to the actual mechanics of a hanging (I'm sorry that sounds so.....insensitive).

 

[MarleneM]

I really want to know how many crimes and other bad incidents have happened against census workers. I bet there have been plenty. I know I recall plenty.

And I think of that every time I answer the door to some 7-10yo child standing alone on my doorstep soliciting donations for their elementary/middle school field trips. I had two just this week.


.

 

[reb]

suziQ... perhaps you are thinking of Summer Shipp....?

 

[Trino]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090926/ap_on_re_us/us_census_worker_hanged

Suicide can be ruled out unless he could have bound and gagged himself.

 

[Kat]

I was born and raised in KY, I take no offense at other's perceptions and opinions about areas of KY.

I see that Mr. Sparkman lived in Laurel County KY, not that far away from Clay County.

A thought about when those that don't live there are traveling through and they should be cautious about turning away in someone's driveway. I can understand the sentiment, but I think it is more accurate to say don't travel into the very rural parts, don't go down in the hollars or on private property period. I've seen the same attitudes here in TX. Not picking just...explaining how it is, given that I am from KY. JMHO

As for Mr. Sparkman, if this proves to be a homicide (probably will) then I would think that it wasn't bootleggers. JMHO. I don't see that happening.JMHO

Marijuana harvesters? Yes possibly. Perhaps he stumbled on something shouldn't have seen, and this would not have been some penny ante operation, this would had to have been a huge operation. Given where this was, maybe...JMHO

I would go with Meth lab. It's more common now and a huge problem not just in KY but everywhere. He may have stumbled onto a meth lab and it's owners. That definately would have gotten him hurt or worse. (Look up the history of meth in KY it's interesting). JMHO

What doesn't make sense is his truck was found nearby and his computer was found inside. I can't imagine that any one of the above would not have stolen what was inside the truck and made the truck disappear. You wouldn't believe how easy it is for that to happen in that area of the USA. JMHO

What doesn't make sense is the word "fed" scrawled across his chest. I dont' see it, as an action that would have been taken by a meth lab owner (worker) or marijuana for that matter and definately not a bootlegger. This area of the country may appear to be backwards but they are not for the most part. The era of the Hatfields and McCoys and the characters straight out of O' Brother where art thou is over...JMHO.

I can't wager a guess as to what happened to Mr. Sparkman but I will pray for his family because their loss is horrible.

 

[Kat]

Also the manner in which he died is not quite right either...let me explain...a good many rural kentuckians carry some form of firearm in their vehicle or person while out in rural areas, esp. if they are doing something illegal I would imagine.

What's odd is that he was hung. Who would have a rope and who would prefer that to another method of homicide such as a firearm.

Hearing a firearm discharged in rural KY is not an uncommon event and probably would barely draw notice from anyone within listening range. They might stop and listen, and try to identify it's origin but other than that they wouldn't pay much attention at all.

The above is only MOO.

 

[SuziQ]

suziQ... perhaps you are thinking of Summer Shipp....?

Thank you!!! It was driving me nuts. And I felt badly for not remembering her name. There are so many.....

ETA: I stand corrected. Summer was doing door to door market research, not census work.

 

[SuziQ]

BTW, there is a warning going out in my area to be aware of fake Census Workers using fake ID's to gain access to homes.

 

[Pandora]

There is a county here in PA I've always known wasn't safe since I was a child. If you are wanted by the law, it is the best place to live. It is a very mountainous region and these people HATE the government. Many are living off the grid and they keep loaded guns in EVERY corner. I can totally see this happening there.
One of my grandmother's sisters married into a family that lived (lives) up there. We used to hear from her about once a year, but now we don't even know if she's alive. When a cousin was born severely disabled, the child lived w/ my grandparents for about four years for medical treatment, but then they took her back.
(You don't go up there unless you want to die.)

 

[Trino]

There is a county here in PA I've always known wasn't safe since I was a child. If you are wanted by the law, it is the best place to live. It is a very mountainous region and these people HATE the government. Many are living off the grid and they keep loaded guns in EVERY corner. I can totally see this happening there.
One of my grandmother's sisters married into a family that lived (lives) up there. We used to hear from her about once a year, but now we don't even know if she's alive. When a cousin was born severely disabled, the child lived w/ my grandparents for about four years for medical treatment, but then they took her back.
(You don't go up there unless you want to die.)

Gosh. What county is that? My husband is taking a bike brevet ride through PA - 1200k and riding during the night.

 

[Snick1946]

There was a story in our local paper this morning about this. If I read correctly, the body was naked, except for his socks. Hate to mention, but hopefully they checked for possible sexual assult.
I am relunctant to bring this up as it may be misunderstood: I wonder was this man gay? I have not seen much about his being married, it seems his family spokespeople have been his mother and brothers.
I mention this only as it might have been a factor in the killing. I sure hope they get these people (yes, I think it was more than one).

 

[Kat]

Hi snick I would like to read that article too. Do you have a link or the name of the paper you read it in and I can go find it?

Thank you.

 

[YellowDog]

He could have stumbled on someone in this country illegally, too, and they were afraid of being deported.

 

[Kat]

I found some updates that describe more of the crime scene:

http://www.kxmc.com/News/443220.asp
Sep 26 2009 3:16AM

One of the witnesses who found a part-time census worker's body hanging in a Kentucky cemetery says the man was naked and his hands and feet were bound with duct tape...

...the man also was gagged and had duct tape over his eyes and neck. He says something that looked like an identification tag was taped to the side of his neck...

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2009/09/26/national/main5343131.shtml
BIG CREEK, Ky., Sept. 26, 2009

...was found two weeks ago hanging from a tree with the word "Fed" scrawled on his chest in felt tip pen...

...Sparkman was naked, bound at the hands and feet with duct tape and gagged - details that have not yet been confirmed by authorities...

... The only thing he had on was a pair of socks," Weaver (Man who found him) said. "And they had duct-taped his hands, his wrists. He had duct tape over his eyes, and they gagged him with a red rag or something...

...Weaver said the body was about 50 yards from a 2003 Chevrolet S-10 pickup truck...

... a preliminary cause of death was asphyxiation, pending a full medical examination. According to a Kentucky State Police statement, the body was hanging from a tree with a rope around the neck, yet it was in contact with the ground...

...Weaver said he couldn't tell if the tag was a Census ID because he didn't get close enough to read it. He could see writing on Sparkman's chest, but could not read that it said "fed."...

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/news/nationworld/sns-ap-us-census-worker-hanged-profile,0,4990385.story
12:24 p.m. EDT, September 26, 2009

The link above is a very nice article about who Mr. Sparkman was. I like to read about the victim's lives because it gives us understanding not only about their life but the impact of their death on those who loved them and cared about them. Rest in Peace, Mr. Sparkman.

~!~my thoughts ~!~

This sounds too personal for a scenario of him having stumbled across something that he shouldn't have seen. Very odd, I can't quite puzzle it out.

 

[LovingTheChaos]

There is a county here in PA I've always known wasn't safe since I was a child. If you are wanted by the law, it is the best place to live. It is a very mountainous region and these people HATE the government. Many are living off the grid and they keep loaded guns in EVERY corner. I can totally see this happening there.
One of my grandmother's sisters married into a family that lived (lives) up there. We used to hear from her about once a year, but now we don't even know if she's alive. When a cousin was born severely disabled, the child lived w/ my grandparents for about four years for medical treatment, but then they took her back.
(You don't go up there unless you want to die.)

I am curious to know what county in PA is so dangerous? My husbands family lives in PA, in the endless mountains regions (Bradford County). It is very remote, but the folks there are nice. There are definately some characters living there, one man used to walk up the back roads in his underwear :blushing:, red underwear to be specific.

 

[samantha17]

Here's more on it.

My guess is he stumbled upon some bootleggers or marijuana growers. JMO

Or a meth lab.

 

[mysteriew]

I was born and raised in KY, I take no offense at other's perceptions and opinions about areas of KY.

I see that Mr. Sparkman lived in Laurel County KY, not that far away from Clay County.

A thought about when those that don't live there are traveling through and they should be cautious about turning away in someone's driveway. I can understand the sentiment, but I think it is more accurate to say don't travel into the very rural parts, don't go down in the hollars or on private property period. I've seen the same attitudes here in TX. Not picking just...explaining how it is, given that I am from KY. JMHO

As for Mr. Sparkman, if this proves to be a homicide (probably will) then I would think that it wasn't bootleggers. JMHO. I don't see that happening.JMHO

Marijuana harvesters? Yes possibly. Perhaps he stumbled on something shouldn't have seen, and this would not have been some penny ante operation, this would had to have been a huge operation. Given where this was, maybe...JMHO

I would go with Meth lab. It's more common now and a huge problem not just in KY but everywhere. He may have stumbled onto a meth lab and it's owners. That definately would have gotten him hurt or worse. (Look up the history of meth in KY it's interesting). JMHO

What doesn't make sense is his truck was found nearby and his computer was found inside. I can't imagine that any one of the above would not have stolen what was inside the truck and made the truck disappear. You wouldn't believe how easy it is for that to happen in that area of the USA. JMHO

What doesn't make sense is the word "fed" scrawled across his chest. I dont' see it, as an action that would have been taken by a meth lab owner (worker) or marijuana for that matter and definately not a bootlegger. This area of the country may appear to be backwards but they are not for the most part. The era of the Hatfields and McCoys and the characters straight out of O' Brother where art thou is over...JMHO.

I can't wager a guess as to what happened to Mr. Sparkman but I will pray for his family because their loss is horrible.

I understand about what you are saying about perceptions about Ky. And it isn't really a slur on Ky as I think there are areas in every state that are like that. I know there is in Ohio.

Here is what I am thinking about the murder. Yes, it may be related to the government work and yes he may have stumbled onto a drug crime. Oral family history is fairly common in Ky. Every family with 'bootleggers' and their problems with 'revenuers' in their history would know the old stories, would know the old crimes. And while not conciously, I think that unconciously some may have absorbed that distrust for any government workers. The undressing, the taped eyes and the id taped on the neck along with the word fed scrawled on his chest to me says this has a personal aspect to it. They wanted him humiliated.

No I don't think that it is related to homosexuality in any way. He may have been undressed, but I think that was done for humiliation purposes or to search for a 'wire' or both.

Now if they were running a meth lab or a marijuanna farm, then a cenus worker shows up, that old distrust would come out. If there was a possiblity that the census worker saw some type of activity, then they would possibly kill him for that. The old distrust and family history may have prompted the displaying of the body and the writing. Because it would sound like something their ancestors may have done and to act as a warning to others that they wanted to be left alone to do their business.

I'm thinking marijuana farm, because it is harvest time for them. Makes it more likely that he may have walked up on some activity. Perhaps the harvesting and storage of the marijuana. Could have been a meth lab, though I don't know why they would have assumed that he would guess what they were doing. I agree moonshiners are less likely, mainly because moonshine is such a small operation anymore. Though I don't think this will be a large operation. A small meth lab, or marijuana grove, but it will probably turn out to be the family's main source of income other than odd jobs and maybe public assistance. A larger grower wouldn't have made the display, they would have thought ahead of how the displayed worker would draw too much attention to the area.

 

[tfrohning]

I remember reading about pot busts in Daniel Boone Forest.

Maybe he came upon a pot farm because it is harvest... I don't see drug dealers leaving a body in the open. I think they would rather the guy came up missing.

I wonder if he came upon someone that might own IRS in the area coming close to a forecloser ...... wanting to send a message.

 

[STEADFAST]

I agree that it sounds like somebody wanted to send a message. Actually, it kind of sounds like the killings of federal agents by drug rings in Mexico. They leave agents out to be found and sometimes leave messages on them.